Application of the Generalized Theory of Stark Broadening to Experimental Highly-Excited Balmer Lines from a Radio-Frequency Discharge
✍ Scribed by E. Oks; R.D. Bengtson; J. Touma
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2000
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 85 KB
- Volume
- 40
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0005-8025
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✦ Synopsis
Experimental widths of high-n hydrogen Balmer lines H n (n = 6-12), emitted from a radiofrequency discharge (T = 1850 K and N e = 1.2 × 10 13 cm -3 ), are systematically lower (up to 20%) than predicted by the Kepple-Griem (KG) line broadening theory [1]. This motivated a new theoretical analysis for Stark broadening of hydrogen lines allowing for direct and indirect couplings of the electron and ion microfields, as well as developing a rigorous analytical treatment of the ion dynamics. The theory was applied in two versions: one -using conventional, statistical intensities of Stark components, and another -using dynamical intensities accounting for the lifetime of the substate. It was found that while both versions are in a better agreement with the experiment than the KG theory, the dynamical-intensity version results in the best agreement: its rms discrepancy with the experimental widths was 5%.